1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system hard disk drives, and more particularly to a system and method for transparent hard disk drive update.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
During normal operations, information handling systems typically depend on one or more hard disk drives to store information. Hard disk drives generally have one or more magnetic disks that provide persistent storage of information when the information handling system is powered down. Often, hard disk drives are used to store an operating system so that upon application of power the central processing unit (CPU) can retrieve the operating system in a bootstrapping process. Basic communications between the hard disk drive and CPU are managed through standardized bus systems, such SCSI or SAS bus systems, by a microcontroller included in the hard disk drive. The microcontroller operates based on firmware instructions stored in persistent memory of the hard disk drive. The hard disk drive firmware is generally “flashed” or loaded at manufacture of the hard disk drive so that the hard disk drive is prepared to interact with information handling systems when first powered up. However, hard disk drives do typically have a capability to re-flash the firmware in the event that an update is subsequently needed to the operations of the hard disk drive.
A number of difficulties exist with attempts to update hard disk drive firmware in an information handling system. These difficulties generally relate to the current process for performing firmware updates, which involves taking the hard disk drive offline while the firmware is updated. One concern is that taking the hard disk drive offline causes system downtime while the update to firmware takes place. For example, updates are stored in the hard disk drive buffer so that normal hard disk drive operations are halted and then power is cycled to bring the firmware into operation. The downtime involved with hard disk drive updates discourages end users from performing updates unless the danger of continuing with the current firmware is high. Thus, end users tend to avoid periodic hard disk drive updates made for proactive maintenance until a critical update arises that corrects potential problems of critical magnitude. This approach leaves hard disk drive operations susceptible to known vulnerabilities of lesser magnitude between critical updates.